Sports briefs

The Newton Cal Ripken Jr. Baseball 12-year-old team won four games in recent play.

June 18, the team beat the Newton 11- and-12-year-old team 15-3 and 12-1 in a doubleheader.

In the first game, Caleb Bisterfeldt pitched two innings. Matt Eldridge and Kenton Fox each pitched an inning. Matt Seirer, Fox and Eldridge each had triples.

In the second game, Zach Kennell, Colton Davis, Kaden Weber-Gonzalez and Seirer each pitched an inning.

Thursday, the team beat Derby 2 16-4. Colby Beer and Davis each pitched two innings. Joel Thompson had a triple.

Saturday, the team beat Belle Plaine 11-1. Eldridge and Kennell each threw two innings. Beer hit a triple, had three RBIs and scored three runs. Bisterfeldt had two doubles and two RBIs. Thompson hit a home run. Benjamin Hall had a double with an RBI.

Link had six wins, 38 strikeouts and a 1.74 earned-run-average. A nine-year pro, Link has played in the San Diego and Chicago White Sox systems before reaching the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010.

He is the 17th Wingnut to have his contract purchased by a Major League organization.

Steven Brothers Sports Management, LLC, was formed to buy the Thunder from Horn Chen in 2011.

Chen founded both the Thunder and Oilers, as well as the Central Hockey League, which all began play in 1992. Wichita and Tulsa are the sole two remaining franchises still in the league from the first season.

The Stevens brothers also own Genesis Health Clubs and several car dealerships in the Wichita area.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the next chapter of Tulsa Oilers hockey," said Rodney Steven II. "This franchise has an outstanding history, an extremely loyal fan base, and one of the best arenas in the Central Hockey League. We are looking forward to working closely with Head Coach Bruce Ramsay, as well as the Oilers players and staff to make sure this team has everything it needs to be successful."

Page 2 of 3 - Tulsa won the CHL playoff championship in the 1992-93 season.

Last week, it was announced that the CHL was sold to the team owners as Central Partners, LLC.

Since 2001, the league was owned by the Global Entertainment Company, which also owns an arena development company, a ticketing system and an auto parts company. Global had owned the Western Professional Hockey League and took over ownership of the CHL when the two leagues merged.

Rodney Steven II has been named interim chairman of Central Partners, LLC.

The league has had as many as 18 teams at its peak in 2010-11, but only 10 active teams remain with one suspending operations pending a new venue.

In addition to Wichita and Tulsa, league members include the Allen Americans, Arizona (Prescott Valley) Sundogs, Denver Cutthroats, Missouri Mavericks, Quad City Mallards and Rapid City Rush.

At the end of this season, the Bloomington Blaze left the league for the Southern Professional Hockey League and the Fort Worth Brahmas suspended operations. The Brantford (Ont.) Beast and St. Charles (Mo.) Chill are set to join the league for the upcoming season.